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#96 Over the Rainbow
#128 Wrong Righteousness
Seek Ye First
Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near. - Isaiah 55:6
Text: Matthew 6:33
Props: binoculars, magnifying glass, and Bible
Summary: First, we should seek God's rule and righteousness in our lives.
When I was a young boy, I had a pet collie dog named King. King was a kind dog and loved to play with children but he would bark if a stranger ever came near the house. One day King got out of the fence in the yard. I may have left the gate open by mistake. I needed to find King and get him back home. So I started to call out his name. "Here, King!" I called. I walked around the neighborhood looking for my dog. After looking for a while, I found King and he followed me home again. Today I want to talk to you about looking for God.
Look at these items I brought with me. They can help me find things. I have a pair of binoculars, a magnifying glass, and a Bible. [Show each object.] If I am looking for something far away, which of these items would help me? [Binoculars] Yes, the binoculars make objects far away appear closer. If I am looking for something very small, which of these would help me? [Magnifying glass] Yes, the magnifying glass makes tiny objects appear larger. If I am looking for God, which of these items would help me the most? [Bible] Yes, the Bible tells all about God and would help me find God.
One day Jesus was teaching about what was important. What he said may surprise you. [Read Matthew 6:33.] Jesus knew that the people following him had some basic needs. They needed clothes to wear, food to eat, and water to drink. Yet, Jesus told them not to worry about those things because something else was more important. He told them to let God have control of their lives and to seek the goodness of God first. Then he assured them that God knew they needed the other things and would take care of them.
Have you found the king of your life? Seek Jesus first, and let him be the King that rules in your heart, and all these things shall be added unto you.
Let us pray. Dear Lord Jesus, help us to seek you first and trust you with our lives every day. Amen.
©2004 by Jim Kerlin. All rights reserved.
Now Playing: Seek Ye First by Eliza Hewitt, Music by John R. Sweney (1837-1899)
Public Domain. MIDI courtesy of Cyber
Hymnal.
